Volkswagen California review

It’s much more car-like than the previous California. The diesel engine sounds more refined from inside the cabin and all the controls are very familiar if you’ve ever sat in a Golf. Obviously, the goal was never to create something sporty, so all the controls are light to operate. There’s not a huge amount of feel to the steering, but you can place it with plenty of accuracy and it handles remarkably well for something with a full kitchen on board. 

Your cornering speeds are more likely to be limited by the tinkling of crockery or clashing of cutlery in the back than a shortage of grip or composure beneath. You can be confident on the brakes, too, though with around 2.5 tonnes to carry when you're fully loaded, they'll wilt quickly if you're late for campsite closing time and hurrying down those back lanes. Ahem.

Helping matters further is the Travel Assist of the plusher trim levels, or a mere £474 option lower down the Cali range. An extension of adaptive cruise control, it can almost entirely drive the van down even tight, rural lanes. It knows the ideal cornering speeds of approaching bends, slowing you gently into them, then accelerating smoothly from their apex. Cling lightly to the 'wheel and this is as close to autonomy as you'll currently get - certainly away from the motorway. Those of us who relish driving won't enjoy the writhing of the wheel in our hands, but it could prove a useful security blanket for late-night adventures down unlit, unknown roads.

How does it ride?

It’s generally very comfortable. Our test car was fitted with 18-inch wheels and Volkswagen’s 15-stage adaptive damping as also found on the Golf GTI, so we were able to set the slider to full comfort and waft around soaking up bumps. Of course, bigger potholes do crash through the cabin a little (particularly when you haven’t packed the pots and pans away properly) and there’s a bit of flex to the chassis now that most of the roof has been chopped out, but your passengers won’t complain about having to do long distances.

Is wind noise not a massive issue?

At motorway speeds it’s actually remarkably refined. There isn’t too much wind noise off the bluff front, the mirrors are fairly shapely and even the awning that sticks out the side manages to avoid making a racket. It’s mightily impressive for something so loaded with kit and gives you the confidence to keep up with other road users.

Which engine should I have?

Our hunch is to save cash and go for the entry diesel. It always worked well in the T7 California's forebears, and continues to now. Its 148bhp peak may sound mild, but its 266lb ft torque figure is much more relevant, as any van driver will tell you. VW quotes a 0-62mph time of 12.4 seconds in base Beach spec, or 12.6s in spanglier Coast or Ocean trims. Not especially relevant figures, but they suggest you'll be no slower down slip-roads or overtaking tractors than a typical supermini. And so it proves in reality.

If you need a bit more urgency you can flick the standard seven-speed DSG into sport mode. That gives you lower gears earlier and changes up at higher revs. It works quite well in the California and doesn’t make things as shouty as you might expect. In fact, in its standard mode the DSG is perhaps a little too focused on efficiency and makes progress a little sluggish. Changes are perfectly smooth though, and there are always the little paddles behind the steering wheel if you fancy some manual changes on steep climbs or the like.

What about the hybrid?

If your use case fits, it's pretty marvelous. If you can charge at home before your trip then plug in at your chosen campsite, life should be pretty peachy. We scored over 50mpg on a four-hour jaunt to Wales having charged fully before leaving - while also commanding the car to save its last 10 per cent of battery power so we could slink through a dark campsite without disturbing anyone.

That's its biggest asset, actually; private buyers will have laid out a lot more cash for the hybrid, and will continue to if they're charging on public DC devices while on holiday, making the California eHybrid's serene, electric-only progress through blissful scenery or idyllic campsites its USP over the others. You'll do well to approach the 90mpg+ combined WLTP claims, and it's well worth checking you'll make the most of its setup.

It's worth noting it's your only option of an all-wheel-drive Cali 4Motion, but we still experienced a bit of wheelspin from its front axle during a brisk exit from a blind rural junction. If you'll be heading to gnarlier camping spots, the TDI or TSI on some decent all-terrain tyres ought to be effective too.